WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 160 - Past (10)

The eyes of the child, who had instantly been the only one left, filled with fear.

Then they quickly filled with resignation. She must have realized there was nothing she could do.

"What should we do with this child?”

"..."

Instead of answering, Sharmia looked at the child’s bare feet, stained with blood.

Seeing the result of running barefoot over gravel, she shook her head.

"This child is innocent, isn’t she?”

"She isn’t completely innocent. She saw the gold coin and tipped that man off."

"I was the one who showed the gold coin. Let her go.”

"If she did it once, she can do it again. What will you do if the palace finds this child and asks whether she’s seen you?”

Of course, I had no intention of killing an innocent child.

I only asked because I was curious how the young Sharmia would respond in a situation like this—

"Please don’t do it.”

"...?"

"Please don’t tell anyone that you saw us.”

To my surprise, Sharmia directly spoke to the child.

The child, naturally, blankly stared at her for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

"That’s enough, right?”

"Not even close. Not at all.”

Frowning, I thought she was still clinging to the naive idea that people always kept their promises, but then she said something unexpectedly realistic.

"We can’t just cut out her tongue, can we? And even if they find out we were in this city, they won’t be able to track where we’re going.”

"So you intend to leave a potential threat behind for that reason?”

"My very existence is already a threat. This all happened because of me, so I can’t blame the child for that. And more importantly, you’re looking at it the wrong way.”

"Huh?"

"She doesn’t want to get involved with us anyway. Or rather…you, who are a mage.”

Indeed, the child kept flinching whenever she looked at me. Watching someone snap a man’s neck in an instant must have left quite an impression.

"She doesn’t want to die, and she doesn’t want to be involved. Our interests align. I think that means all we need is a simple agreement.”

Strictly speaking, it was a rather idealistic conclusion.

"...Uuugh…”

But if we stayed any longer, the child looked like she’d pass out, so I had no choice but to nod.

"Go. Before this monster twists your neck too.”

The moment she heard Sharmia’s words, the child bolted out of the inn.

Watching her go, Sharmia lowered her head.

"That child, she’s at most only one or two years younger than me, isn’t she?”

"As you’ve seen, in the current Empire, being young doesn’t earn you any consideration and only makes you prey.”

"I see. I suppose so.”

It was a sarcastic remark about the Empire’s reality, but Sharmia didn’t deny it.

"Even before the disaster arrives, there are people who are already living in hell.”

It was a realization that came far too early for someone her age.

Even if it was the truth.

* * *

I don’t know whether Sharmia’s judgment was right or wrong.

But in the end, no pursuers appeared before we reached our destination. It was possible they were already tailing us and were only waiting for the right moment, but I couldn’t sense anyone using my Tide Sense at least.

This seemed to be mostly thanks to the Knight that was acting as our coachman. By sleeping little and driving relentlessly, he successfully brought the princess to a safe place.

"Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”

"Ah, yes.”

With a stern expression, the Knight opened the rear door of the carriage and escorted her toward a shabby-looking mansion hidden deep within the forest.

However, unlike its shabby exterior, the interior was remarkably refined. Spotless marble tiles, spaces divided by stairways, and above all, the architectural style was modern.

It was proof that Aletus had been preparing this plan for a long time. As Sharmia looked around the manor with curiosity, the Knight dropped to one knee and bowed his head deeply.

"I beg your pardon, but if you would remain here for a short while, I will return with attendants soon.”

"You’re bringing attendants too?”

"Yes. I will be back within a week. Until then, please take care of yourself. No matter what happens, you must not leave this mansion.”

Bringing attendants meant they were prepared for the long game.

The Knight left the mansion with a resolute expression—

And though it was unfortunate for his loyalty, the moment Sharmia confirmed he was gone, she immediately tried to open the door and head outside.

Watching from behind, I spoke up.

"Didn’t he tell you not to go out?”

"...! You startled me…”

Sharmia clutched her chest and turned toward me.

"When did you come inside? No, were you listening?”

"This mansion has quite a lot of hidden passages. Judging by the exterior as well, it seems to have been built specifically to protect someone like you, Your Highness.”

"I-Is that so? I’m curious how you even found the secret passages, but more than that…why was a place like this even built? Why was I sent here in the first place…do you know?”

"I can’t think of any clear reason.”

It was the result of Aletus' determination to keep the princess from being killed by the Emperor.

But I feigned ignorance. It wasn’t something she would benefit from knowing.

From Sharmia’s perspective, unaware of the chain of cause and effect, she had simply been pulled out of the palace and locked away in some secret base. It was only natural that she felt quite perplexed.

As she pondered the Knight’s last resolved words, the princess eventually shook her head, wearing a bitter smile.

"Whatever the answer is, it’s not something I should be worrying about anymore. I chose to run away.”

In the end, Sharmia never wavered in her decision.

With her hand on the doorknob, she swallowed dryly, then turned to look at me with a stiff expression.

"A-are you coming with me?”

Her face clearly showed that she hoped I would.

No matter how hard I was to trust, traveling alone at such a young age was clearly weighing on her.

I briefly considered pretending to think about it just to tease her, but seeing her earnest expression, I simply gently raised both hands.

"There’s no need to be that nervous. I have no intention of abandoning you. Don't worry about it.”

"...I wasn’t particularly nervous, though.”

Furrowing her brow as if to hide her fear, Sharmia shot back, then opened the door and stepped outside.

I followed after her. The place Sharmia headed toward lay deep within the forest.

However, after walking in a single direction of a compass she was holding for quite some time, I couldn’t help but ask, feeling dumbfounded.

"Where exactly are we going?”

"I don't really know either. I was just told that if I keep heading north, I’ll get there.”

"That's an impressively detailed explanation. And you believed it?”

"...Just follow me.”

This place didn’t seem particularly dangerous. Even if it was, I was confident enough that I could protect her well enough.

As I silently walked behind the princess, I began to feel a strange sense of déjà vu from the trees around us.

At first, I dismissed it, since these kinds of trees were common enough. But the farther we went, the stronger the feeling became, as though I had seen them somewhere before.

Sensing something was off, I expanded my Tide Sense further—

And spotted someone.

...Someone I knew. Not someone I ever expected to meet here.

Strictly speaking, they weren’t even human.

-Rustle!

Before long, the figure brushed aside the bushes with a small wooden staff and stepped into view.

"I thought you were a rabbit caught in my snare, but what are you two?”

"...An elf?”

Deep wrinkles. Sharp, upturned eyebrows that gave them an ill-tempered impression.

And above all, long ears that aggressively asserted their presence.

A cranky old elf tapped the ground with a roughly carved wooden staff, flaring at us with a voice laced with irritation.

"How did humans get in here? Without guidance, you shouldn’t even be able to enter my formation.”

Azrael.

A lunatic shaman who had sealed away his own kind for being too insane.

Why was he here? Stunned, I stared through my mask, mouth slightly open, then noticed that the trees around us were abnormally large.

We had been in the elven forest from the start. No wonder it felt familiar. While I was piecing all of that together, Sharmia, who apparently hadn’t seen an elf before, swallowed nervously and cautiously raised the compass.

"I followed this compass.”

"A compass…? What nonsense are you spouting? You think something like that could break through my formation?”

Suspicion crept into Azrael’s eyes.

He looked back and forth between us for a moment, then abruptly fixed his eyes on me.

His suspicion instantly turned into hostility. He planted his staff into the ground, drawing a line on the ground as he spat nearby and muttered.

"You…You’re a Fallen. And a badly broken one at that.”

“Don’t worry. I have nothing to do with Scarlet Abyss.”

"As if I’d believe that. A dog doesn’t stop eating shit just because you tell it to.”

Even given the situation, I had to admire his crude tone and profanity.

How had he not changed at all over all these years? As I sighed, Sharmia seemed to mistake it for a sign of an impending fight, so she hurriedly stepped between us.

"I-I’m looking for the Ark. Do you know where it is? If you tell me, we’ll leave immediately.”

"...The Ark?”

The moment he heard those words, Azrael froze briefly, then relaxed, breaking into a wicked grin.

"It’s been at least a hundred years since I last heard that word. And now a human’s saying it? Life really does throw surprises.”

"What?"

"Alright. If you’ve come here to survive, I’ll take you in. Follow me.”

Azrael suddenly turned around and headed off somewhere.

Sharmia looked at me, her eyes silently asking, ‘What do we do?’ I just shrugged.

Azrael himself wasn’t that big of a problem. Even if we followed him, keeping Sharmia alive wouldn’t be difficult for me alone.

"U-uhm excuse me. Are we heading to the Ark?"

"Well, you could say that.”

However, the palace Azrael led us to was nothing more than a small camp with a lit bonfire.

He ladled out some stew that had been boiling over the fire, poured it into a bowl, and devoured it greedily.

He continued with his mouth still stuffed full.

"Mmch, so, we’re here. Now then, how far do you want me to go for you?”

"...This is the Ark?”

"Huh? No. This is the Ark.”

Azrael tapped his own head lightly.

"It’s cold over there, so I came here instead. Now tell me, how much do you want done?”

At that point, I realized what the so-called Ark really was, and my expression stiffened.

Unlike me, Sharmia clearly didn't get it. She tilted her head in confusion, while Azrael snorted and explained.

"The Ark is just what the elves call me. They think the only place they can survive is inside my head.”

"Inside your head…?”

"Yeah. Their memories live in my head. The ones I sealed away.”

Sharmia blinked a few times.

Then, her mouth slowly fell open as she understood what he was talking about.

"S-so—it’s not an actual palace, but more like a metaphor?”

"It isn't a metaphor. I literally sealed their memories inside my head.”

"..."

"I don’t know who you are or where you’re from, but if you’re looking for the Ark, that means you’re desperate. It means you’ll die if you don’t forget something, right?”

"I guess it’s something like that."

"Then forget.”

Azrael extended his hand, as if it were nothing.

"I’ll seal away the memory you want gone. It’s no problem for me. Consider it a favor.”

"...”

Sharmia was completely stunned, unable to come to a decision.

Quite understandable. This was nothing like she imagined ‘running away to a safe place’ meant.

But.

'This isn’t bad.'

I found myself nodding unconsciously.

From a purely practical standpoint, it was close to the perfect solution.

In the end, the most horrifying part of the prophecy wasn’t just that disaster was completely unavoidable. It was that she was forced to remember for her entire life that it would absolutely come true.

That knowledge alone was enough to break a person. And the best way to deal with a truth so destructive was to simply forget it.

Of course, no normal method could make someone forget something as grand as an apocalyptic prophecy, but if we were to borrow Azrael’s memory seal—

At the very least, she wouldn’t have to suffer endlessly over something she could never stop.

"..."

But—

Even though her thoughts had clearly reached a place similar to mine, she hesitated, unable to take that extended hand.

Azrael shrugged and withdrew it.

"Well, seems like you didn’t even know what the Ark really was to begin with. You’ll need time to steel yourself. Come back when you’re ready.”

"...Thank you.”

Sharmia, her face haggard, bowed her head and turned away.

"What are you staring at?”

I shot Azrael one last glare, then followed after her.

"Why did you refuse? It seemed like a good solution.”

"I…came here planning to run away. But I didn’t expect that kind of method.”

"It still looks like the better option.”

"I know. I really do…but my heart just won’t accept it.”

"Either way, I’d recommend coming to a decision sooner rather than later.”

"Yes, I suppose so.”

"That’s not what I meant.”

It seemed I had been thinking too much.

Even without using Tide Sense, the metallic stench of blood caught my nose. I frowned and scanned the surroundings. Sharmia tilted her head.

"Is something wrong?”

"Stay close. From here on out, do not leave my side.”

With those words, I immediately kicked off the ground.

"Huh?...Wh-what’s going on all of a sudden?”

Still confused, Sharmia ran after me.

Had we been running for about 5 minutes without stopping? Her frail body pushed itself to the limit. The moment she stopped, she staggered, about to collapse.

"Huff, huff…Wh-what”

"C-cough…"

She was about to speak, but when she noticed the source of the painful groans, her face turned deathly pale.

The Knight who had escorted Sharmia here. The man, who was supposed to return with the maids, was slumped against a tree, a dagger buried deep in his abdomen, barely clinging to consciousness.

So much blood had spilled that a pool had already formed around him. With his life steadily fading, the Knight looked toward us and forced out his last words with everything he had left.

"R-run…”

"Step back."

I finished his sentence for him as I pulled Sharmia behind me.

"We’ve got pursuers.”

It seemed like the Emperor wasn’t about to let his daughter run away so easily.

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